Why should I go VEGAN??

if ur going to go vegan it had better be for environmental or political reasons... because if you think you are going to be "healthier" or "look better" you are just fooling yourself.

QFT, speaking from experience.

ETA: i'm a total liar. I didn't leave this thread. I'm avoiding what i *should* be doing today.

Get to work, lady!
<- avoiding studying AND cleaning

My coworkers are also making me bang head on desk.

I have my vegan story for you. First, the earth cooled...

I'm 53. I used to be @solpwr. I was a weightlifter/bodybuilder in my 20's. My dad was a butcher. When I quit lifting, I gained 100 pounds. I worked my butt off to get rid of that weight. The last few years I've focused on fitness. I ride my bikes (100 miles/week avg)and ski mountaineer (climb up, ski down, no ski lifts). I had my VO2 max tested (52 ml/kg/min) in September.

Part of my motive for fitness was the stark contrast between the health of my parents and the health of my grandfather. At 96 my grandfather was vital and active, he walked every day, he was still driving, he told jokes, he was always looking for the humor of life, he was also thin. My parents are overweight, mom has diabetes, dad has had 2 bypass operations, the first one at the age I am now. They live the saddest, most pathetic life I can imagine. They live on steak, Coke, ice cream and french fries.

In December I was browsing Netflix documentaries. I love to learn. I watched Forks Over Knives. The work of Drs. Campbell and Esselstyn are presented along with other scientists and MD's. I accept the premise of the movie: most people who eat meat have some sort of cardiovascular disease, they just don't show symptoms.

So this month I have adopted a whole foods plant-based diet. For the first time in my life I have went without meat, cheese, dairy, fish, and cooking oil for a prolonged period. I always heard veggies and vegans say how good they felt. Whatever. I ride my bike 100 miles per week, do you know how good I feel? I feel fantastic. So I thought. This WFPB diet... this is Next Level feeling good.

I track everything, including cholesterol levels. 2002 - 147, 2004 - 156, 2006 -165, 2008 -181, 2009 - 164, 2010 -147, 2011 - 154, 2012 - 136. Not high numbers. But do you know how many people DIE of heart disease every year who've never had a reading above 200? Thousands. Every. Year.

I love the way I'm eating. I gained a few pounds since winter has been here in Montana. Its coming off with WFPB diet. And the funny thing is I'm eating huge volumes of food. I finally found a way to eat as much as I would like to eat! And I am a foodie. I love flavors and tastes (and wine!). The flavors are so varied... its amazing actually. The fats mute flavors, I never realized that before.

I eat legumes every day. I eat 3-5 pieces of fruit every day. I do not limit quantity in any way, just stay away from the foods I've prohibited for myself. Did I mention I feel fantastic?

Last summer riding my downhill bike on a trail. You can see the crash here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7NYtVl4bqo&amp;feature=share&amp;list=UU8yLDmkCx527xotFHFsZYJw.
I was wearing armor, but I hurt my shoulder. It was not healing. I couldn't lift weights. My 2 plate (per side) bench press was down to a pair of dimes. Guess what? I'm lifting again. After 6 months of no progress (my MD said I likely had arthritis), 2 weeks WFPB I'm benching 135.

We'll see what my next cholesterol test says. I've drank the cool-aid friends. And I'm diggin it.

I don't care so much about the animal rights. I'm going to miss killing animals for sport.

But I'm an analyst. You know how much energy goes into feeding out animals for food? If we all just ate the food that is grown for animal consumption (87% of the US land utilized for agriculture is used for animal production), we would have enough food to feed the planet's population. When my grandfather was a child meat was a luxury. And heart disease was rare. Now its a staple. And heart disease is the leading killer in the wealthy nations of the planet. This correlation points to causation. Beyond question.

...Can you imagine all people in the world as being vegetarians/vegans? How much land we would then need to grow enough crops to feed the population? That's why vegetarians/vegans create sort of balance for meat-eaters...

:noway: I'm speechless.

It was my opinion and you have a right to disagree with it. I respect it. :}

I have my vegan story for you. First, the earth cooled...

I'm 53. I used to be @solpwr. I was a weightlifter/bodybuilder in my 20's. My dad was a butcher. When I quit lifting, I gained 100 pounds. I worked my butt off to get rid of that weight. The last few years I've focused on fitness. I ride my bikes (100 miles/week avg)and ski mountaineer (climb up, ski down, no ski lifts). I had my VO2 max tested (52 ml/kg/min) in September.

Part of my motive for fitness was the stark contrast between the health of my parents and the health of my grandfather. At 96 my grandfather was vital and active, he walked every day, he was still driving, he told jokes, he was always looking for the humor of life, he was also thin. My parents are overweight, mom has diabetes, dad has had 2 bypass operations, the first one at the age I am now. They live the saddest, most pathetic life I can imagine. They live on steak, Coke, ice cream and french fries.

In December I was browsing Netflix documentaries. I love to learn. I watched Forks Over Knives. The work of Drs. Campbell and Esselstyn are presented along with other scientists and MD's. I accept the premise of the movie: most people who eat meat have some sort of cardiovascular disease, they just don't show symptoms.

So this month I have adopted a whole foods plant-based diet. For the first time in my life I have went without meat, cheese, dairy, fish, and cooking oil for a prolonged period. I always heard veggies and vegans say how good they felt. Whatever. I ride my bike 100 miles per week, do you know how good I feel? I feel fantastic. So I thought. This WFPB diet... this is Next Level feeling good.

I track everything, including cholesterol levels. 2002 - 147, 2004 - 156, 2006 -165, 2008 -181, 2009 - 164, 2010 -147, 2011 - 154, 2012 - 136. Not high numbers. But do you know how many people DIE of heart disease every year who've never had a reading above 200? Thousands. Every. Year.

I love the way I'm eating. I gained a few pounds since winter has been here in Montana. Its coming off with WFPB diet. And the funny thing is I'm eating huge volumes of food. I finally found a way to eat as much as I would like to eat! And I am a foodie. I love flavors and tastes (and wine!). The flavors are so varied... its amazing actually. The fats mute flavors, I never realized that before.

I eat legumes every day. I eat 3-5 pieces of fruit every day. I do not limit quantity in any way, just stay away from the foods I've prohibited for myself. Did I mention I feel fantastic?

Last summer riding my downhill bike on a trail. You can see the crash here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7NYtVl4bqo&amp;feature=share&amp;list=UU8yLDmkCx527xotFHFsZYJw.
I was wearing armor, but I hurt my shoulder. It was not healing. I couldn't lift weights. My 2 plate (per side) bench press was down to a pair of dimes. Guess what? I'm lifting again. After 6 months of no progress (my MD said I likely had arthritis), 2 weeks WFPB I'm benching 135.

We'll see what my next cholesterol test says. I've drank the cool-aid friends. And I'm diggin it.

I don't care so much about the animal rights. I'm going to miss killing animals for sport.

But I'm an analyst. You know how much energy goes into feeding out animals for food? If we all just ate the food that is grown for animal consumption (87% of the US land utilized for agriculture is used for animal production), we would have enough food to feed the planet's population. When my grandfather was a child meat was a luxury. And heart disease was rare. Now its a staple. And heart disease is the leading killer in the wealthy nations of the planet. This correlation points to causation. Beyond question.

When your grandfather was a child, there would also have been little in the way of processed, packaged foods, which I think is more relevant. To blame heart disease purely on meat consumption would be ludicrous.

Not taking the bait.

I'm with YOU!! I won't go Vegan by choice...

My sis is vegan, but she's gaining weight now where she's never been heavy in her life.. EVER!

Not taking the bait.

I'm not asking anyone to 'take the bait.' I just think people should be more aware. There's something to be gained by knowing what you need and don't need, knowing what's healthy and unhealthy, and knowing how products get from the source to your plate and what the effects of that process are.

I encourage you to watch the documentary and then take a definite stance, but don't just deny the information for the sake of wanting to stay ignorant.

I sometimes wonder if vegans think I'm actually a worse person than somebody who eats the standard meat diet out of ignorance.

I am extremely well informed about all of the terrible things caused by the meat industry. I try to eat grass/natural-fed free range beasts, but in the end I just don't care.

Do you not believe that I'm perfectly willing to butcher my own food? I am, but why would I want to do that when I can pay somebody else to do it for me? (like building a home, or assembling my phone or my computer)

I also disagree regarding the health claims. China study is horse-poop.

Not taking the bait.

I'm not asking anyone to 'take the bait.' I just think people should be more aware. There's something to be gained by knowing what you need and don't need, knowing what's healthy and unhealthy, and knowing how products get from the source to your plate and what the effects of that process are.

I encourage you to watch the documentary and then take a definite stance, but don't just deny the information for the sake of wanting to stay ignorant.

I sometimes wonder if vegans think I'm actually a worse person than somebody who eats the standard meat diet out of ignorance.

I am extremely well informed about all of the terrible things caused by the meat industry. I try to eat grass/natural-fed free range beasts, but in the end I just don't care.

Do you not believe that I'm perfectly willing to butcher my own food? I am, but why would I want to do that when I can pay somebody else to do it for me? (like building a home, or assembling my phone or my computer)

I also disagree regarding the health claims. China study is horse-poop.

Worse? Maybe. Really I don't know you so it doesn't matter. What you've said tells me that your personal biases play a very big role in your resaoning process. Most people lack the ability to be appropriately objective. You're like most people. That's not a bad thing per se. It is what it is.

This is less of a 'why should some go vegan' thread and more of a reminder of why I keep my personal food choices to myself in my day to day life. Geez.

Don't do it, think of your health

People are ignorant to it until they do their research.

I'm against the violent and exploitative practices of factory farming.

It is also more environmentally "sustainable" to be vegan (For example, 60% of the grain grown is for feed for animals for slaughter. Land clearing is the biggest release of green house gases)

I cannot STAND people being pious and sanctimonious, telling me what I should or should not eat. It's all down to personal choice. You're probably eating sprayed crops - and?!

Stuff like this gives vegans and vegetarians a bad rap. By all means do whatever pleases you - just keep it to yourself. You don't find omnivores parading around on crusades trying to force these people to eat meat, so why the reverse? I get annoyed with people who do exactly the same with their religious beliefs. I'm not a fan of people wearing this on their sleeve as part of being in a club, or defining their self-identity to the world.

Anyway, yeah. What I eat is my business.

If veganism appeals to you, you shouldn't require convincing.

This is true love. But it is one part appeal, but an overwhelming part of what is right for life. Everyone chooses. Some choose to live. Miss you.

Oh, and umm...

themodestvegan.blogspot.com

I won't go vegan because no plant TASTES LIKE MEAT. Especially BACON.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

You mean bacon doesn't grow on trees?